The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes Reviews

• 
  Luanne Ollivier

  I've been recommending Marcus Sakey books for a while now to library patrons who are looking for a new thriller/suspense author. Many have never heard of Sakey, but they always come back after that first read, looking for another of his titles. The Two Death of Daniel Hayes is going to propel Sakey right up to the top of the thriller/suspense genre.
  
  A man wakes up half dead and naked on a deserted beach. He has no idea who he is, where he is, or how he got there. But... there's a BMW with the keys in it parked up the road. The clothes on the seat fit him, as do the shoes. There's a wad of cash in the glove box and the registration is made out to Daniel Hayes of Malibu California. Oh, there's also a gun...
  
  'Daniel' sets off in the car, stopping at a motel to try and figure things out. An actress on a prime time soap triggers a memory. He can't know her, can he? Who is he? When the motel door is kicked in by the cops, he hightails it out the bathroom window. What has he done? Why are they after him? Who the hell is he!?
  
  And I'm not going to give you any more plot, because it's just too good to spoil. Sakey drew me in with the unknown and kept me frantically turning pages as Hayes discovers more and more about who he is and what he has done. Or not done. Are his memories real or "just stories we tell ourselves to explain how we got where we are." Because nothing is as it seems. The plot twists and turns and doubles back on itself numerous times. I was happily kept totally off kilter. I loved that I wasn't able to figure the 'who and why' out until the very end. What a breakneck read - highly recommended!
  
  Marcus Sakey: "I'm a novelist, which means I make a living telling lies. Hopefully they keep you up at night or make you miss your train stop." Oh yeah, they do!
  
• 
  Daniel Audet

  I had never heard of this author until yesterday(I need to get out more...) when I noticed the slick, cool cover on the book and was intrigued by the title and the story-line blip on the inside flap. I decided to take a chance on Marcus Sakey's book and I couldn't be more thrilled that I did. Like I said, just because I had never read anything by this author doesn't mean he isn't well known.
  The opening of the book is a stellar translation through the character's senses, in third POV, (which reads like 1st POV and almost caused my writer brain to melt) wherein we feel his confusion and literal pain, into vivid images of a desolate, near freezing beach.....somewhere.
  With no idea who he is or why he finds himself laying naked, near death, as icy waves wash over him, the discovery of an expensive sports car nearby is where his fight for life and remembrance will begin. As far fetched, on the surface, as this type scenario might sound Sakey pulls it off using both barrels. Skilled narration and description. Daniel Hayes, if that's who he really is, according to the paperwork in the BMW - is a little off the reservation. No wallet, only car type paperwork and a gun in the glove box, he slowly brings himself back to life, having crawled into the vehicle and turning on the heat. In short, a really good intro.
  From there the pace goes into hyper drive.
  *I warn you though, there is graphic language and description of violence and sexuality in this book.*
  Bits and pieces float to the surface of "Daniel's" mind and soon he finds himself running from the police in a little Maine beach town. He decides to head back to LA not having any idea if he really is Daniel Hayes and why, if he is, he ended up on a beach in Maine dying of hypothermia.
  Sakey's literal, sometimes gritty and always direct "voice" is a refreshing blend of realism and good old fashioned thriller intrigue. His sentence construction using clever word choices will impress you even if you're not a writer. If you ARE a writer, then keep a notepad handy you're in for a lesson.
  If nothing else(and there's plenty...) Sakey's energy, with a polished grit all his own, is infused deeply in this story, and, no doubt all his work.
  All the basics are well represented and executed and it's hard to understand why this author isn't a household word but I'm guessing that break point is not far off on the horizon.
  
  
  
• 
  Erin

  THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES has already met with a great deal of critical acclaim, and rightly so. Marcus Sakey is simply a gifted author, and this layered, complicated, intricately detailed story is not one bit self-indulgent (unlike a certain tale of a tattooed young woman that I could mention, but won’t).
  
  But here’s the rub: If you’re looking for an easy read, this isn’t it. THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES will raise your heart rate and blood pressure. It will keep you up past your bedtime. It will frustrate you because just when you think you have it all figured out…you don’t. Trust me, you really don’t.
  
  So what’s it about? No easy answer to this. It’s about a guy who has amnesia. It’s about good and evil. But it also includes subplots that shine a light on love and marriage, the criminal justice system, celebrity culture, American geography, and more. THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES starts with a bang on a cold and deserted beach in Maine, and takes a wild and gloriously twisted road from there.
  
  If you’re looking for a book in which you can lose yourself, THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES fits the bill. It’s a standalone novel, and you need not have read Sakey’s previous novels to appreciate it.
  
  One of my most common complaints about booksis that some novels have too many characters. Authors can occasionally throw in characters that don’t serve a real purpose, or there are just so many that keeping track of who’s done what to whom is cumbersome. While THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES has a large cast for sure, Sakey gives the right amount of attention to each. He gets the balance just right. I never had to flip back to a character’s last appearance to remember his or her role.
• 
  Martinxo

  The opening chapter earned this book a four star rating but it quickly dropped to three stars and then down to a mediocre two stars. It only avoid a one star ranking because in my rankings that equals 'abandoned' but I didn't abandon it because I was on a train and needed a book to read and this is the fucking turgid piece of crap I had picked up in a hurry as I left the house.
  
  So there you go.
  
  Oh, and some writer called 'Lee Child' says it is 'Truly Excellent' so he must be a shit writer as well.
• 
  Diane S ☔

  A man wakes up naked on a beach and doesn't remember where he is or how he got there. From there it is all thrills and chills as he attempts to find out what happened to him and where he belongs. Plenty of twists and turns, with some very good characters and some not so nice people. Sakey's writing is as always suspenseful and he's from Chicago.
• 
  Savvy

  Life is a Raindrop… (in a thunderstorm of a novel!)
  
  “You are who you choose to be. Be sure you can live with the decisions you make.” Daniel Hayes
  
  The dilemma is that Hayes begins his journey in a haze (a play on words, Mr. Sakey?)… dripping wet, naked, confused and with no memory of how he got where he is…and worse…not even knowing WHO he is…his identity an enigma!
  
  What decisions has he made? What has happened to him? Where exactly is he…what ocean did he just drag his body out of?
  “Calm, don’t panic…Retrace your steps…Focus…Don’t force it. Tease it. Coax it out.”
  
  Sakey continues to hone his fine skills in writing thrillers that keep you guessing until the very end.
  
  His novels should come with seat-belts…the plot twists toss the reader with plenty of turbulence in this newest offering, THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES.
  
  Just when you think you’ve had an ‘AHA’ moment, the plot loops around and you find yourself clutching at the proverbial straws all over again. You regain your footing as Daniel slowly retraces his and clues are revealed. However, all is not as it appears and trust ebbs and flows like the tide from which Daniel first sprung.
  
  It’s difficult to say much more without adding a spoiler alert.
  
  Just know that once you pick this fast-paced novel up…you’ll speed along with Daniel from Maine to California with petals of memories slowly unveiling a past that begs to atone and surprises itself in both dreams and reality.
  
  I was very impressed with the author’s sharp images of Los Angeles and how well he portrayed the city as if he had lived there himself!...but, I’m pretty sure he hails from Chicago.
  
  I am a native “Angelina” and so Sakey brought back vivid pictures of places like Griffith Park, Hollywood, the unique culture of Southern California and a whole lot more!…even the Avocado tree that I, too, had in my back yard! …but without the pulsating adrenaline rush!
  
• 
  Viccy

  A man wakes up on the beach in Maine with no memory of who he is or why is is drowning. His journey takes him back across the country to California, dodging bad guys and the police as he goes. Everyone in the book could be a threat to the man who calls himself Daniel Hayes. It's a thrill ride to read. One thing I did not like was the cut-outs of Hollywood screen plays, although an effective plot device, I found it tiresome (it could just be me). The ambiguity of the ending is also annoying, but that is again my taste and desire to always have the good guys win and the bad guys lose. Ambiguity is an important part of the plot in this book. Any book by Marcus Sakey is a good read and worth seeking out for those how like fast-paced action thrillers.
• 
  Kari Gibbs

  Imagine waking up, naked, on a beach. Not knowing who you are, how you got there or even where you are. But you do know some things… like that you are on the verge of hypothermia and find a car to warm up in.
  
  Daniel Hayes soon starts learning a little more about his life, that appears to be left in California, a long way from the east coast where he washed to shore. But getting back there, and figuring out more about himself may not be as easy as a cross-country drive.
  
  Hayes’ wife, a big name actress, died in a car crash and police believe he was involved, but he doesn’t remember. He now has to find answers, without getting himself in more trouble that he is already in.
  
  Wow! What a page turner. From the very first page, Marcus Sakey had me hooked. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, another curveball came my way. I didn’t want to put the book down because I knew that just around the corner, there was something new and once again, I would have to pull my jaw up off the floor.
  
  It’s no surprise to anyone on my blog that I am an aspiring writer. The kind of writing in this book is the kind that I hope to mimic even a 10th of in my books. It was gripping and I didn’t want to let go of it.
  
  I give The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes 5 bookmarks and want to thank Dana Kaye of Kaye Publicity to always knowing what books to send my way! She never disappoints. And Mr. Sakey, I’ve already stalked your website to find which of your books I want to read next!
  
  
• 
  Lois Duncan

  An excellent suspense novel. A real page-turner, with an ending I didn't expect. That ending caused me to go back and re-scan the book to see if the author planted the necessary foreshadowing. He did, but subtly. I was reading so fast that I missed it.
  
  Maybe I've found a new favorite author!
  
  
• 
  Kelly Hager

  I’m going to give you the publisher’s summary because that’s the safest way to keep from ruining something.
  
  “A man wakes up naked and cold, half-drowned on an abandoned beach.
  The only sign of life for miles is an empty BMW. Inside the expensive car he
  finds clothes that fit perfectly, shoes for his tattered feet, a Rolex, and a bank
  envelope stuffed with cash and an auto registration in the name of Daniel
  Hayes, resident of Malibu, California.
  
  None of it is familiar.
  
  What is he doing here? How did he get into the ocean? Is he Daniel Hayes,
  and if so, why doesn’t he remember? While he searches for answers, the world
  searches for him-beginning with the police that kick in the door of his dingy
  motel, with guns drawn. Lost, alone, and on the run, the man who might be
  Daniel Hayes flees into the night.
  
  All he remembers is a woman’s face, so he sets off for the only place he might
  find her. The fantasy of her becomes his home, his world, his hope. And maybe, just maybe, the way back to himself.
  
  But that raises the most chilling question of all: What will he find when he gets
  there?”
  
  Me again. I’ve read Marcus Sakey’s books since his first book came out, and I’ve loved all of them. I think my favorite is the third, Good People, but they do seem to keep getting better. I say that, because this one is easily the best of the lot. The pacing is relentless and because Daniel has amnesia, we learn things as he does.
  
  Also, the villain in this? Easily the scariest person I’ve encountered in books.
  
  If you haven’t read any Marcus Sakey novels yet, start with this one and then go back and read the other four. (Five, if you have a Kindle and can get the collection of stories.)
  
  Recommended—but only if you have time to read it straight through. This is one you won’t be able to put down.
  
• 
  Patricia

  The story begins with Daniel Hayes washed up on the beach, half dead and thousands of miles away from home. Daniel is alone except for a car parked on the beach and abandoned. Of course, Daniel has no idea that he is Daniel Hayes. He has amnesia and no idea of how he arrived in the water off the coast of Maine. The car is a BMW. The registration says Daniel Hayes. The clothes in the trunk happen to fit. The gun in the glove compartment is a big surprise. With no other options, he starts driving the BMW headed across the country. The registration says California so that is his destination. Is he Daniel Hayes or someone that just washed up on the beach and lucked into a good car with clothes, cash, maps and even a nice Rolex watch. He wonders how he knew the watch was a Rolex and was surprised he liked the taste of the whiskey left in the car. With no other options available at the moment, he decides he will be Daniel Hayes – at least until he finds out something different.
  
  As he tries to retrace his life, he finds many surprises. He has a wife but she is dead. Or is she dead? That is just another story he needs to unravel. As Daniel struggles to make sense of his life, he finds himself right in the middle of a situation that is extremely dangerous but not one that he fully understands.
  
  
  The struggles Daniel goes through to regain his memory and understand his life that went before he wound up half dead on a beach in Maine is a thriller that keeps the reader on edge up to the very last page.
  
  Marcus Sakey’s previous novels have been very successful and this one is sure to be a winner.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Kathy

  This novel had my full attention from the first page and never lost it. It is one of the best crime drama/thrillers I've read this year so far. The book opens with Daniel Hayes struggling for life in the ocean off Maine. He has no idea where he is or who he is...he has amnesia.
  
  I don't want to give too much away or just rehash the plot line here. Since Daniel has amnesia, the reader discovers things when Daniel does. There are so many twists and turns and surprises that the reader becomes completely immersed in the story and you really cannot stop reading...you have to know what is going to happen next. The characters, the plot, the settings...everything works perfectly to move the narrative along at a breakneck pace that does not detract from the story telling. I love the introspection where Daniel explores himself and his world throughout the novel. Who are we really? Do others really know us? Do we really know other people? The amnesia prompts Daniel to really delve into himself and to ponder those who have been around him. Does he really know his wife? Issues of trust and issues of identity flow through this wonderful tale.
  
  I highly recommend this entertaining, intriguing, fast-paced crime drama/thriller. So thrilled to have discovered this amazing new-to-me author. If you are like me you won't be able to put it down. 5 Stars
• 
  Heather

  The first sentence alone is what drew me in. A man wakes up on a beach, pulling himself from the waves of water and struggling to survive and then blacks out. He awakes to find he has no memory of himself or his life. Right there I was sucked in. I love amnesia stories. I felt for Daniel right away, with his hopelessness in not being able to remember things. You get taken on this journey with him as he tries to make his way home and recover the lost details of his life. He starts searching for the only thing that he seems to connect to his old life- a girl. But then you find out that the police are looking for him and there's a dangerous man on his tail, as well. And you keep reading to find out what part he plays in this big mystery, and why these people are chasing him. It's very worth it. The only negative thing I found was discovering out a plot part very quickly that I would have thought would have a different reveal. But it's still a good book, none the less. If you want something that will hold your interest and keep you captivated with each turn of the page, this is definitely the book to read.
• 
  John Sheridan

  A fast moving rollercoaster of a book, Daniel Hayes is suffering from amnesia and can't remember who he is or what he is doing naked on a beach in Maine. Finding a car parked nearby he claims it as his own and based on the wallet inside discovers his name. What follows thereafter is his attempt to find out who he is and what he is like as a person. When he finds his way home he discovers his wife is dead and he is the prime suspect but he cannot recall any details. As he slowly remembers snatches of his life he discovers that his wife actually faked her death in an accident in order to escape Bennett who manipulates and exploits people for his own personal gain. But he's hot on their trail and doesn't mind killing people to further his goals. Bennett is a pretty cool creation as he anticipates people's moves and always seems to be a couple of steps ahead - probably a chess grand master too.The only thing really stopping this from gaining a top rating is the failure to really generate any empathy for the main characters as they try to escape Bennett's clutches but otherwise very well done.
• 
  Valentina

  This is one fantastic book. I love everything about it, including its title.
  
  The first few pages alone are filled with gorgeous images and evocative descriptions that had me captured from the moment I started reading.
  Daniel Hayes is a smart, yet believable character, no Einstein or Superman here, just a regular person using his brain in a realistic manner. For me, that in itself should be applauded, after reading so many books, especially thrillers, where the good guys have all kinds of coincidences help them out, and the skills of samurais. In this book, things are resolved with a little more sense.
  
  The gritty L.A. atmosphere permeates the story, a place in turns glaring with spotlights and steeped in shadows. It adds real meat to the plot, anchoring it.
  
  There are enough twists and turns to keep everyone, old-time thriller lover and newbie alike and an ending that will drag out a few not-so-polite exclamations.
  Highly recommend it.
• 
  Quentin Feduchin

  The narrative begins with a very confused person, who makes confused decisions. That person takes most of the book to find out what has happened.
  He experiences great relief just past halfway; then gradually re-experiences much of his confusion.
  He mourns the deaths of some people; he works out how to help himself and someone close to him; again he experiences great relief.
  Confused? This is a well told tale which requires the reader to be patient also, but ultimately all is revealed.
  Sakey's writing has elements of Coben in it; the mystery, the final denouement. However whether his consequences work out as you wish, is part of the joy of reading his novels, and I think you will find it worth it.
  His novels; and I started with 'Brilliance'; are really well put together and I recommend them. His capability is great, which is the reason I held the rating back to 4 stars: I think he could have done it slightly better. For others I would have given a 5..
• 
  Patricia

  Marcus Sakey, where have you been all my life? This is the second Sakey book I've read in the past 3 days, and both were equally good. This one is about a man who wakes up on a beach, alone, freezing, and he has amnesia. He eventually starts remembering little bits and pieces of his life, and of course he's in some sort of trouble with the police. This story had so many twists and turns, I was at 95% in the book and still had no idea what in the world was going to happen. Who was really his friend, who was really his enemy?
  
  Both of Sakey's books I've read have totally sucked me in, wrapped me up the whole time I was reading them. I could actually feel the apprehension of the characters, it was like I was THERE!!
• 
  Chloe

  The first book for 2015 to be given 5 stars and sent my favourites shelf! Couldn't put this one down!
  
  The story begins with a man washed up on a beach. He is freezing and struggling to stay alive. He has no idea why he is there, or even WHO he is. The twists and turns that follow, I could barely predict any of it and I LOVE that. Just when you think you have it all figured out - ha! Nope! Let's throw another spanner in the works!
  
  Brilliant writing, will be reading more from this author for sure.
• 
  Kathy

  Many echoes of "The fugitive": he must stay away from the police so he can prove he didn't kill his beloved, TV-star wife, with the addition that he has lost his memory and isn't sure himself that he didn't kill her. Great twists that I totally didn't see coming, smart psychopathic villain, great building to the climax. If he can't remember his life, can he choose who he will be? audiobook
• 
  Cherie

  Brilliant!
  What a story. From the start, I was pulled into every scene and all that happened.
  The bad guy was truly awful.
  The narration by Christopher Lane was 5 stars.
• 
  Doug Robinson

  I enjoyed the writing, the story wasn't bad.. was enjoyable.. but .. just ok.. quick read
• 
  Sharon Layburn

  3.5 stars. A better than average beach read.
  The basic theme of the plot is consciously reminiscent of the movie Memento, and the overall feel of the book is heavy on LA spice- including name dropping, product placement, a nice bit of noir and the occasional slip into screenplay format.
  Raising it above the norm are the philosophical quandaries that Sakey adds to the tale. He asks the reader to question their beliefs on identity, morality and vengeance.
  While I felt that there were too many voice changes in the narrative- which was slightly confusing at times, and many of the earlier twists and turns were (in my opinion) predictable, just when I thought that I had too firm a grasp on the direction of the plot, Sakey amped up the action and really surprised me with the direction the story took. I like surprises. ;)
• 
  Janet

  This was a Bookpage recommendation, but I was really disappointed. A disjointed story about a screenwriter who "loses his memory in a fugue state" and worries that he has murdered his wife. The author has a really annoying method of advancing the plot by inserting "scripts" into the book, complete with a change of typeface, in case you are confused. Would not recommend this book to anyone.
• 
  Briana Applin

  Overall the book was really good to me. There were some very good pot twists. I would have given it 5 stars but the ending wasn't really good to me, and I didn't understand it. Is Bennett still alive in Mexico? Also, who was the person on speed and, did Waters put him there or was that just a dream? Either way good book overall.